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Former executive Nishad Singh pleads guilty to criminal charges in FTX collapse

Nishad Singh, former engineering chief of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, pleaded guilty to fraud and several other criminal charges at a hearing on Tuesday related to the collapse of the company, Bloomberg reported.

Bitcoin’s price gains this year bring needed relief to cash-strapped crypto mining industry

Officials at Bitcoin mining companies say the rebound in prices so far this year for the world’s biggest cryptocurrency has thrown a lifeline to the industry after some miners sought protection from creditors last year amid the slump in the token’s price.

Yuga Labs to launch its first Bitcoin-based NFTs TwelveFold

Yuga Labs announced that it will launch TwelveFold later this week, its first NFT collection on the Bitcoin network.

Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Solana biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite U.S. equities rising on Monday after last week’s selloff. Asian stock markets mostly rose on Tuesday as investors absorbed key economic indicators across the region.  
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Coinbase exchange to delist Binance USD, says stablecoin ‘no longer met our listing standards’

Coinbase, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange, said Monday it is suspending trade in the Binance USD (BUSD) as of March 13.

BitFlyer founder eyes CEO comeback, share sale amid boardroom conflicts: Bloomberg

Yuzo Kano, co-founder of Japan’s largest cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer Inc., said he plans to return as CEO, sell shares to public.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain; Polygon, XRP biggest losers

Bitcoin and Ethereum rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian markets dropped on Monday, following last Friday’s Wall Street selloff, as investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S. due to persistently high inflation. 

Janet Yellen urges strong regulatory framework for crypto as India leads G20 push for regulation

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters after the G20 meeting in India on Saturday that while the U.S. has not indicated any outright bans, it is critical to put in place a strong regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry. 

Asia’s Opportunity to Lead Crypto Regulations

Crypto industry’s interaction with regulators is important and quite common in Asia but missing in the US, says Brooks Entwistle of Ripple Labs.

At least US$577 million of Blur-linked NFT sales are wash trades, CryptoSlam says

NFT data aggregator Cryptoslam has flagged more than half a billion dollars worth of NFT wash trades related to Blur since the marketplace’s Valentines airdrops started

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin lingers at US$24,000 level after Wall Street’s worst day in 2023 so far

Bitcoin remained resilient around the US$24,000 level on Tuesday despite Wall Street’s worst day of the year so far. Industry experts are eyeing a potential retest of the US$25,000 psychological level, as a failure to reclaim it may result in a downtrend to around US$21,500.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried hit with four more criminal charges

The founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency firm FTX.com Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has received another four criminal charges in a superseding indictment on Thursday.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with all top 10 cryptos as investors await consumption index

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Most Asian equities were down, despite Wall Street’s overnight performance.

Weekly NFT sales surge amid marketplace Blur’s new round of token airdrop

NFT sales more than doubled this week, with NFT marketplace Blur remaining the talk of the town.

IMF releases crypto action plan, advises against legal tender status

World governments should not grant cryptocurrency legal tender status, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board said in its new nine-point action plan on how countries should approach crypto assets published Thursday. See related article: India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary Fast facts See related article: India’s finance minister […]

Why crypto offers great career opportunities for talented women

The blockchain sector’s gender divide is narrowing. Its newness and founding ideals also allow for more flexible workplaces, writes Anastasia Kor of Choise.com.

SEC accused of ‘back door’ labeling of crypto as securities in Coinbase insider trading case

A U.S.-based blockchain advocacy group has urged a federal court to dismiss SEC charges against an ex-Coinbase employee accused of insider trading.  

Canada gives crypto companies 30 days to meet updated registration guidelines

Cryptocurrency companies in Canada have 30 days to meet updated crypto registration guidelines released on Wednesday or risk losing their users.

Taiwan must mandate a central authority to oversee crypto by May 16, says lawmaker

A Taiwanese lawmaker has reiterated that the cabinet will have to mandate an acting central authority to shape regulatory frameworks and development roadmap for the cryptocurrency industry by May 16, a move that would push Taiwan closer to adequate crypto regulation.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise along with top 10 cryptos despite Fed signals to raise interest rates

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian equities were down

SEC has to clarify what’s permissible for staking, former CFTC chair says

It remains unclear whether the U.S. SEC’s enforcement action against cryptocurrency exchange Kraken represents a broader crackdown on staking, according to Timothy Massad, former Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman.

Gate Group set to enter Hong Kong

Gate Group announced on Wednesday that it is applying for a new cryptocurrency license in Hong Kong, joining a growing list of Web3 firms entering the city.

Bitcoin back above US$24,000, Fed releases February minutes

Bitcoin fell in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with XRP posting the biggest gains in the list and Solana leading losses.
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Hong Kong’s new crypto regulation may lure Web3 firms back, experts say

Hong Kong’s proposed crypto licensing regime received Huobi Global’s pledge to return to the city, and more companies may follow, industry experts told Forkast.

Binance, Ingenico begin crypto payments in France

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered France-based global payments giant Ingenico to offer in-store crypto payments in France using Binance Pay.

Crypto scammers seize on AI frenzy as fraudulent ChatGPT tokens flood markets

Crypto scammers are deploying fraudulent tokens that appear affiliated with the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, taking advantage of the tech’s investment hype.

Blur lives up to name as its trading volume surpasses OpenSea

Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur’s success spurs changes at OpenSea. Is Binance eyeing US exit? Taiwan asset disclosure rules may include crypto.

Coinbase reports growth in Q4 earnings despite decline in users

Coinbase reported an increase in its Q4 earnings on Tuesday, even as overall users declined throughout the period.

Crypto miner Hive Blockchain posts wider losses, cites Ethereum Merge

Vancouver-based cryptocurrency mining firm Hive Blockchain Technologies Ltd. reported bigger losses in its latest quarterly earnings report published Tuesday, mainly due to Ethereum’s Merge and lower Bitcoin prices.  See related article: Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin miner Greenidge Generation cuts NYDIG debt […]

Ankr token surges 60%, partners Microsoft for enterprise-grade node service

ANKR surged by more than 60% after the blockchain infrastructure startup announced a partnership on Tuesday with Microsoft.

Centralized crypto exchanges are dying, so long live centralized crypto exchanges?

Multi-billion dollar bankruptcies, fraud allegations, scandal, and plunging cryptocurrency prices in 2022 all characterized why investors came to distrust centralized exchanges. Yet, some commentators expect platforms to become ever more centralized … and regulated.

FTX Japan resumes withdrawals through Liquid Japan web platform

FTX Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Sam Bankman-Fried’s bankrupt FTX, resumed withdrawal of customer holdings on Tuesday.

Crypto hedge fund Galois Capital to close after losing US$40 mln in FTX

Cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Galois Capital will close and return the remaining funds to investors after losing US$40 million worth of assets in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX.com

Huobi plans to move headquarters to Hong Kong from Singapore

Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global is seeking to relocate its Asia headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong.

How Web3 in China is taking shape — with ‘Chinese characteristics’

What makes Web3 compelling to many is its promise to shift power from centralized players to individual users, but China is doing the opposite, writes Lily King.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether up, Solana, Helium rise after merge announcement

Bitcoin and Ether rose in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Solana posted the biggest gains while Polygon’s Matic led losses Tuesday morning in Asia.

Bitcoin surpasses Visa’s market cap to be 11th largest asset in the world

Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, gained 15% in the past week to trade at US$24,885 and 7 p.m. in Hong Kong, surpassing payments giant Visa in market capitalization for the third time in history. See related article: Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin […]

Hong Kong begins public consultation on crypto licensing regime

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission is calling for public feedback on its new proposals to regulate the crypto industry set to take effect in June.

Markets: Bitcoin rises above US$24,000; Solana gains most in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin rose above US$24,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. Ether gained 0.18%, while Solana strengthened the most across the top 10 cryptos.
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Trust in crypto is in shambles. How can we rebuild it?

Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.

Former FTX executive Nishad Singh negotiating guilty plea on fraud charges: Bloomberg

Nishad Singh, a former executive at bankrupt Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com, may be leaning towards pleading guilty to fraud charges for his involvement in the company’s last November

Taiwan may mandate public servants to declare crypto holdings

Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice said on Wednesday that it may be adding cryptocurrencies to the list of properties for public servants to declare. 

How tokenizing real estate can turn the ‘rules’ on their head – by mastering them first

The digital asset space is ripe for regulation, and tokenized real estate is no exception. But views differ when it comes to finding a framework that fits.

Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration

The cryptocurrency industry this week reacted to the recent moves by U.S. authorities against Kraken and Paxos. Meanwhile, India has been calling for a collaborative approach to crypto regulations.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$23,000 after its first weekly ‘death cross’

Bitcoin briefly climbed above US$25,000 for the first time since August 2021, before declining to US$23,764 after its first weekly “death cross.” Investors liquidated over US$70 million worth of Bitcoin short positions in the past 24 hours, according to data aggregator GlassNode, contributing to BTC’s rally.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos following hawkish U.S. Fed remarks

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, following hawkish remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve officials on more upcoming interest rate hikes.

Weekly NFT sales spike after Blur’s Valentines airdrop

Blur.io, the NFT marketplace that beat OpenSea’s trading volume in the past month, airdropped its platform tokens on Valentine’s Day, contributing to the global NFT sales increase this week.

Wemade’s WEMIX token surges after relisting on South Korea’s Coinone exchange

South Korean blockchain game developer Wemade’s WEMIX token surged after it was relisted on local crypto exchange Coinone on Thursday.

Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator

The U.S. SEC charged Singapore-based Terraform Labs and its chief Kwon Do-hyung for defrauding investors.

Markets: Bitcoin slips back below US$24,000 as inflation worries resurface in U.S., equities slide

Bitcoin and Ether fell Friday morning in Asia, curtailing a strong run up in the week, after the U.S. January PPI rose much faster than expected.

Binance expects to pay penalties to settle U.S. probes: Wall Street Journal

Binance expects to pay to settle U.S. authorities’ investigations into its business and past crypto offerings, according to its chief strategy officer.

Markets: Bitcoin rallies over 11% as top 10 cryptos gain, memecoin Floki surges 82%

Bitcoin posted the biggest gains during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with increases in the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

El Salvador to establish ‘Bitcoin Embassy’ in Texas to promote adoption of digital assets

El Salvador, the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender, is planning on opening a “Bitcoin embassy” in Texas.

Japan’s Square Enix to launch Web3 game on Polygon blockchain, cites ‘sustainability’ benefits

Square Enix announced Wednesday that it will launch its first Web3 game Symbiogenesis on the Polygon blockchain.

Go ahead and ban staking. Crypto investors will just go elsewhere

The SEC’s latest heavy-handed approach toward crypto will leave investors less protected while benefitting dodgy offshore companies, writes Danny Talwar of Koinly.

Paxos ordered to stop minting Binance stablecoin as SEC mulls legal action

Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.

Singapore’s DBS Digital Exchange’s Bitcoin trade volume grows 80% in 2022

DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx), one of Asia’s first bank-backed digital exchanges, has reported a year-on-year increase of 80% in Bitcoin traded in financial year 2022, while the number of Bitcoin custodized with the bank doubled from 2021. 

Digital asset industry comes under fire at hearing by U.S. Senate on ‘Crypto Crash’

The cryptocurrency industry faced criticism during a Senate committee meeting on Tuesday entitled “Crypto Crash: Why Financial System Safeguards are Needed for Digital Assets.”

S. Korean regulators to probe local crypto staking services following U.S. crackdown: News1

S.Korean regulators are planning to review crypto staking services on local exchanges following recent regulatory enforcements from the SEC.

Binance CEO says more non-USD stablecoins may emerge

The intensifying regulatory oversight in the U.S. is highlighting the increasing need for non-U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins in the cryptocurrency industry, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Tuesday.  See related article: Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown Fast facts See related article: SEC may make […]

SEC may make it harder for hedge funds to work with crypto firms: Bloomberg

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to propose rule changes that would make it difficult for cryptocurrency firms to hold digital assets.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, other major tokens rise despite hotter-than-expected CPI reading

Bitcoin rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia to move back above US$22,000 as investors shrugged off a seeming U.S. regulatory crackdown on digital assets and data showing U.S. inflation for January was above forecasts.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Binance’s native token BNB led the day’s decline across the top 10 cryptos.

Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown

Last year was memorable in the emerging world of digital assets for the sheer number of corporate failures. The industry itself has been asking for clearer legal guidelines to help development. Is that what’s happening now?
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Why the crypto sector needs radical transparency in the post-FTX world

Self-custody is cumbersome and carries risks of seed phrases getting lost, but how can we ensure if a third-party custodian can be trusted?

Markets: Bitcoin rises amid market jitters as Paxos stablecoin issuer next regulator target after Kraken clampdown

Bitcoin was the only top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrency to gain in Tuesday morning trading in Asia in a market unsettled by regulators in the U.S. targeting digital asset companies.

India discussing crypto, regulation with G20, says finance minister

As India moves forward with its one-year presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), it is discussing cryptocurrency and regulation with the group’s members, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. 

Head of crypto, FX trading platform EminiFX pleads guilty to US$248 million fraud charges

Mastermind of the EminiFX fraud has pleaded guilty to soliciting investments worth more than US$248 million from tens of thousands of investors, says US DOJ.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices extend losses; Dogecoin sole gainer among top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued to trade below US$22,000 in Monday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dropped except Dogecoin.

Paxos ordered to stop issuing Binance USD stablecoin: report

Paxos Trust Company has been ordered by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) to stop issuing the U.S. dollar-pegged Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin

China’s international blockchain BSN Spartan gets new push in Middle East, Africa

Red Date Technology, the developer of China’s state-backed blockchain infrastructure Blockchain-based Service Network, has partnered Dubai-based Singularity Innovations to offer blockchain infrastructure services in the Middle East and Africa, as the Chinese blockchain network continues to go global.

What is the outlook for crypto in 2023 and beyond?

Tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi will be growth areas, but regulatory uncertainty is still holding back adoption, writes John Avery of FIS.